The Man in the Houndstooth HatBy MALCOLM MORANNovember 28, 1981
BIRMINGHAM, Ala.-Paul Bryant of
the University of Alabama, who
once wrestled a bear to earn his nickname
and long ago achieved immortality in
these parts, today coached his 315th victory,
more than any other college football
coach ever. Despite the absence of two
players who were dismissed from the
team two days ago and the problem of
two fumbled punts that led to scores and
put his team behind in the fourth quarter,
Alabama defeated Auburn, 28‚17, before
a national television audience and a frenzied
crowd of 78,170 at Legion Field that
included Joe Namath and other former
Bryant players, assistants and friends.

Bryant, who passed Glenn (Pop)
Warner with a victory two weeks ago at
Penn State, today went one ahead of
Amos Alonzo Stragg, who won 314 games
in 57 seasons. Bryant, in 37 years at
Maryland, Kentucky, Texas A&M and
Alabama, has a record of 315-80-17. His
players, following instructions, surrounded
him at the end of the game. Bryant's
houndstooth hat, his trademark, disappeared
from view and was taken to a safe
place. He received the game ball from
Bart Krout, a senior tight end from
Birmingham who was born in October
1959, one year after Bryant came to
Alabama.

It was nearly an hour after the game
before someone wanted to know about
the next game, the Cotton Bowl against
Texas on Jan. 1. "How can I have plans for
the Cotton Bowl when I haven't quit shaking
from the end of this game," Bryant
replied.

Several years ago rival schools were
telling recruits that Bryant, now 68, would
soon retire. To answer the opposition and
reassure recruits, Bryant said he intended
to break Stagg's record. "If someone has
to be the winningest coach," he said then,
"it might as well be me."

But Auburn (5‚6), which has been
recovering from the effects of a two-year
probation, was ahead by 17‚14 at the start
of the fourth quarter, and all of that
seemed to be slipping away. Then suddenly
it all turned around. Walter Lewis, the
second of three Alabama quarterbacks,
threw a 38-yard touchdown pass to Jesse
Bendross to regain the lead. And after
three Auburn plays and a punt, Linnie
Patrick, a sophomore halfback, gained 47
yards in two carries. His 15-yard touchdown,
with 7:07 to go, gave the Tide an 11-
point lead and secured the record.

After the record was set, the coach
made certain to thank the players, coaches
and friends who could not be here. He
thanked President Reagan and former
President Jimmy Carter, who called the
locker room.

"Did the President call you?" Auburn
Coach Pat Dye said, excited. "Sure he
called me," Bryant said, trying to sound
matter of fact. Bryant smiled. He hoped
the day his team won No. 315 would end
like so many others. "I want to go home
and get the TV on and hold my granddaughters,"
he said.

Paul (Bear) Bryant, who won six
national titles and 15 bowl games,
retired as Alabama's coach in December
1982 with 323 victories. He died of a
heart attack a month later (see Jan. 26).

Associated Press

Alabama's Paul (Bear) Bryant in 1972. Outwardly remote and a disciplinarian if there ever was one, he mentored
numerous star quarterbacks, trained 40 future college coaches and integrated 'Bama football in 1971.Runners Up

1929: Ernie Nevers of the Chicago Cardinals, the former all-American from Stanford,
scored all of his team's points, running for six touchdowns and kicking four
extra points in a 40‚6 victory over the Bears at Comiskey Park. The total is
the longest-standing record in the N.F.L.

1956: Don Newcombe, coming off a 27-7 record for the pennant-winning Brooklyn
Dodgers, was voted the winner of the first Cy Young Award as baseball's
outstanding pitcher. Two awards, one for each league, were made after 1966.
Newcombe also won the National League most valuable player award in '56.

1925: Georges Vezina, the diminutive goalie of the Canadiens who led them to
Stanley Cup titles in 1916 and '24, collapsed in the net during an N.H.L. game
against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Mount Royal Arena in Montreal. Tuberculosis
was diagnosed, and he died four months later. Each year, the league's top
goalie receives the Vezina Trophy.